Appeal to residents
Addressing citizens and the media at the unveiling of the Piraeus revamp plan in early January, Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos said: «What we are doing at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and in collaboration with the Piraeus Port Authority is simple: We are reviving the concept of a port city, which is at the core of Piraeus’s identity; we are promoting the area’s wonderful archaeological relics, which have been neglected and even built over in order to accommodate bars and cafes, and creating new development opportunities… In combination with the lifting of cabotage regulations, the city can become an important destination not just in Greece, but in the Mediterranean. «For it to work will take more than a plan and its application. It will take the mobilization of citizens. I recently attended the cleanup of the Wall of Conon and saw school groups, local organizations and citizens participating with enthusiasm in a process that was important in many more aspects than their day-to-day business. It was a good example of mobilization that can change the quality of our lives and make programs such as this part of life in the city.»
